Page 87 of The Killer’s Mark

‘I did,’ Gilliard said.

‘It’s in your name?’

‘Of course. I have to reapply every seven days, but as we’re only a couple of days in, everything is above board. There are no loopholes, Poe. We were listening legally.’

‘Good.’

‘I don’t understand how it possibly can be, but I know you’re dying to explain.’

‘You heard us discussing the email I received from the Red Chamber guy?’ Poe said. ‘The one with information on who killed Mark Buckby?’

‘We were listening to everything, Poe. And yes, we heard you discussing whether or not to destroy evidence you are legally obliged to share with the police.’

Esmerée snorted.

‘Actually, what you heard was a carefully rehearsed play,’ Poe said. ‘Tilly went a bit off-script when she said she valued Edgar’s life above my wife’s, but otherwise I thought we were pretty convincing. The fact that you got here within fifteen minutes of the dramatis personae calling “scene” tells me you thought so too.’

‘You didn’t get an email?’

‘No. We staged the play, then recovered your equipment so you knew we weren’t bullshitting you. If I had received an email like that, I would have shared it.’

Gilliard said, ‘Then this has been a colossal waste of everyone’s time.’

‘Which I’m not in the business of doing.’

‘You’re still under arrest. I’m still taking your computers. And I will find a way to make you pay for that broken surveillance equipment.’ His phone pinged. He opened it. Smiled. ‘The new search warrant is here. I’ll send you a copy, but I can assure you, this one is in order. He nodded at Susan. ‘C’mon, let’s grab their computers and phones and get out of here. We can finish this interview when we get back to London.’

‘Sit down, Chief Inspector, I’m not finished with you yet,’ Poe said.

‘What the hell did you just say?’

‘You heard. And as we’ve already established that this is my meeting, not yours, are you not a little bit curious as to why I summoned you?’

‘You didn’t summon shit, Poe!’

‘Accio turd,’ Esmerée said.

Bradshaw giggled.

Poe said, ‘Eh?’

‘Jeez, why don’t you crack open a book once in a while, Poe,’ Esmerée said. ‘It’s a spell in Harry Potter.’

Poe turned back to Gilliard. ‘I brought you here because you have information we need.’

‘You’re not a cop any more, Poe,’ Gilliard said. ‘You’re nothing. A private investigator in this country has less standing than the man who sells aftershave in pub bogs. Why the hell would I tell you anything?’

Poe grinned. ‘Because I know what happens if you don’t.’